BISHOP SEALS MODIFIED TITLE - SEPTEMBER 22, 2002
JON CALLWAWAY CLINCHES FIRST MODIFIED LITES POINT CHAMPIONSHIP
By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE (9/21/02) - Rick Bishop of Greensboro, Md. left nothing to chance as he posted his fifth win of the season and clinched his first Big Block Modified championship, Saturday night at the Delaware International Speedway. Bishop got by defending champion, Craig Mullins just past the halfway point and held of Mullins' challenges for the rest of the distance for the win. Bobby Walls, III of Ridgely, Md. led only the first and the last laps of the 15-lap Modified Lite feature to post his fifth win of the year.
Cliff Foskey set the early pace in the caution filled 25-lap modified main. Craig Mullins moved on top on lap four with Bishop climbing from ninth to second by lap six. Multi-car tangles on laps involved nine different cars but there were no injuries. By the halfway sign, Bishop was challenging Mullins for the lead with Foskey, Kyle Strickler (who had come from the rear of the field) and Andy Best running in the top five.
Bishop moved on top with ten laps left to go as Best worked his way into third. Mullins closed to the back bumper of Bishop but Bishop made no mistakes and took the win by 0.332 seconds. Bishop celebrated not on his fifth win in the Clearview Farms/Jeff Layton Matco Tools/Teo but also his first title.
Mullins, Best, Strickler, and Foskey rounded out the top five. Sixth through tenth were Adam Jarrell, Robert Dutton, Deron Rust, Ricky Johnson, and Beau Wilkins making his first Big Block start. Heats were won by Mullins and Best with Deron Rust taking the consolation.
Bobby Walls led the first lap of the Modified Lite feature before Mike Vammino moved on top. Erik McKinney took second for a lap before Walls regained the spot. At the halfway sign it was Vammino riding in the high groove with Walls, Mike Stratton, Jon Callaway, and McKinney riding in order in the top five. The red was out at this point when Andy Hammond flipped end for end in the second turn. Hammond was shaken but not injured.
Vammino continued with his rim riding style as Stratton battled with Walls for second. Just as it appeared that Vammino was headed to the win he got the car badly out of shape in the final turn and Walls drove by to the win. It was his fifth victory in the Hill's Electric/Preston Walls Trucking/Pro/Suzuki. Vammino recovered to finish in second with Stratton, Callaway, and Steve White rounding out the top five. Sixth through tenth were Herb Tunis, Dana Walker, Lucky Kohland, Landis Musser, and Kirk Lawson. With his fourth place finish, Jon Callaway clinched his first point championship in the division.
The next event on the Delaware International schedule will be "Delaware Thunder" on Saturday night, October 5th. This event will feature the 410 Sprint Cars plus a full United Racing Club program and Open Competition Modifieds.
RESULTS: 25-Lap Modified Feature: 1. RICK BISHOP; 2. Craig Mullins; 3. Andy Best; 4. Kyle Strickler; 5. Cliff Foskey; 6. Adam Jarrell; 7. Robert Dutton; 8. Deron Rust; 9. Ricky Johnson; 10. Beau Wilkins; 11. Doug Beach; 12. Ernie Lowe; 13. Ellsey Conover; 14. Nick Anderson; 15. Gary Simpson; 16. Norman Short; 17. Scott Smith; 18. Duane Rust; 19. H.J. Bunting; 20. Mike Covey; 21. Darren Wroten; 22. Steve Downs. DNQ: Sparky White; Tim Millman.
15-Lap Modified Lite Feature: 1. BOBBY WALLS, III; 2. Mike Vammino; 3. Mike Stratton; 4. Jon Callaway; 5. Steve White; 6. Herb Tunis; 7. Dana Walker; 8. Lucky Kohland; 9. Landis Musser; 10. Kirk Lawson; 11. Matt Hubbard; 12. Erik McKinney; 13. David Dill; 14. Andy Hammond; 15. John Curtis; 16. Geroge Richardson; 17. Dale Hawkins.